A number of systems are in use today that employ parachutes for lowering objects and people to the ground. In the simplest systems, cargo or supplies are attached to a parachute, and simply pushed from an aircraft over an area where the supplies are needed. In more complicated such systems, the parachute may be guided, as by a GPS control system associated with the parachute, so that the parachute is directed to specific GPS coordinates. In these systems, control lines from the guidance system are pulled or released to deform a portion of the parachute, causing the parachute to change direction and be guided to a destination on the ground.
Also in the prior art are powered parachutes where a person is strapped into a harness attached to the parachute, with an engine having a propeller oriented on the person's back. The engine and propeller provide thrust, with direction and altitude controlled by the person manually operating control lines attached to the parachute.
One detractor from powered and unpowered parachute or paraglider air-vehicles is the limitation of airspeed. Typical paragliders can fly between 20 and 50 miles per hour, with 50 miles per hour being extremely fast and short-lived for a paraglider. To reach and maintain speeds in excess of 50 miles an hour for extended periods of time during a flight, fixed wings or the like must be used.
With respect to military missions, it is desirable for a UAV to loiter over a target or area, particularly during a combat operation. While Applicant's previous designs are useful, such designs typically have small payloads, short ranges and typically are carried by a soldier. Also, such as where a reconnaissance patrol comes under attack, a parafoil UAV of Applicant's previous design may not be able to easily be launched without endangering the person launching the UAV.
Even with advanced designs, such as Louis Strieber's speed enhanced powered parachute, U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,924, an air-vehicle will have to use an enormous amount of power to overcome the drag of the complex and much heavier parachute design, thus increasing the amount of energy required to obtain higher speeds as well as having a shorter time-on-station when compared to a typical winged aircraft.
Accordingly, it would be desirable for a UAV to have fixed wings in order to quickly fly to a desired location, and then loiter or perform a mission using powered paraglider flight.